Contemporary management of infected mandibular fractures

The treatment of infected mandibular fractures has advanced rather dramatically over the past 50 years. Immobilization with maxillomandibular fixation and/or splints, removal of diseased teeth in the fracture line, external fixation, use of antibiotics, debridement, and rigid internal fixation has played a role in management. Perhaps the most important advance was the realization that infected fractures also result from moving fragments and nonvital bone, not just bacteria. Controlling movement and eliminating the dead bone allowed body defenses to also eliminate bacteria. The next logical step in the evolution of treatment was primary bone grafting of the resulting defect following application of rigid internal fixation and debridement of the dead bone. We offer our results with this treatment in 21 infected fractures, 20 of which achieved primary union.